Door hardware



H. D. PRIEST DOOR HARDWARE July 19, 1966 Filed April 27, 1964 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR HA/QEY DALE P/P/EST BY Eon/A20 D. GEE/ A7'7'OENEY H. D. PRIEST DOOR HARDWARE July 19, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed April 27, 1964 .7 mm M m m m V WP E A 0 0 w WWW 0 m m E 5 6 6 w vlluL 1 .H. V y MW www mw A Wow United States Patent 3,261,051 DOORHARDWARE Harry Dale Priest, 8454 Jupiter Drive, Buena Park, Calif. FiledApr. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 362,794 3 Claims. (Cl. 16-1) This invention isdirected to garage door hardware which is particularly adapted toprovide mobility for one piece, swing up garage doors.

One-piece garage doors are known, and hardware has been provided forthem to swing them up from the vertical, closed position in the garageopening to an upper, generally horizontal open position usuallypartially extending out of the opening. In this position automobile andpersonnel access through the door opening is permitted. Such priorhardware has permitted one-piece garage doors to become widely used andof general utility, especially as compared to the prior doors which werehinged to swing on a generally vertical axis. Presently availablecommercial hardware, however, has a number of disadvantages, includingsize, cost of the quantity of material therein, installationdifficulties due to the fact that long heavy tension springs are used,and the fact that prior hardware is not of single unit construction forit necessitates the connection of its spring at some distance away fromthe basic hardware. Furthermore, such hardware provides dangeroussituations for if the spring breaks while the door is being raised orlowered, the door weight becomes unduly burdensome, particularly for asmall person, and the flying spring parts can cause personal ormechanical damage.

Accordin ly, it is an object of this invention to provide garage-doorhardware which is of unitary construction for convenience and economy ofinstallation and maintenance.

It is another object of this invention to provide garagedoor hardwarehaving a compression spring, especially with a compression springmechanically interconnected between the door and the door opening so asto provide proper counterbalance force as the door moves from oneterminal position to the other.

It is another object of this invention to provide garagedoor hardwarewith a compression spring suitably restrained so that if it shouldbreak, there is no risk of damage due to flying spring parts.

It is another object of this invention to provide garagedoor hardwarewith a compression spring so that the counterbalance effect can bereadily adjusted to provide proper adjustment upon installation fordoors of different weight.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent upona study of the following portion of the specification, the claims andthe attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of garage door hardware in accordance withthis invention shown attached to a garage door within a garage dooropening, both shown partially in section;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to the view of FIG. 1, showing the garage doorin the raised position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the garage door hardwareof this invention;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the garage door hardware shown ininstalled position, with part of the structure to which it is attachedbroken away; and

FIG. 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

As an aid to understanding this invention it can be stated inessentially summary form that it is directed to door hardware ofparticular nature for the support of one piece doors, particularlygarage doors and similar doors, which permits and causes the door to beswung from a 3,261,051 Patented July 19, 1966 closed position to anupper, open position. To permit this movement, suitable stationaryhardware is supported to the structure adjacent the door opening, andthrough links and pivots attachment is made to the door. The arrangementof the linkage and pivot points is such as to permit the door to swingfrom a vertical position wherein it closes the opening to a upper,generally horizontal position at the top of the opening wherein accessthrough the door opening is permitted. Counterbalance torque to aid inthe raising of the door and partially support its weight is provided bymeans of a compression spring suitably mounted in the stationaryhardware and torquing one or" the links in the appropriate direction.

This invention will be understood in greater detail by reference to thefollowing portion of the specification wherein the structure isdescribed in detail. Referring now to FIG. 1, seen therein is a sectionthrough a door frame and a conventional one piece swing up door. Thedoor frame is defined by a pair of upright posts, one of which is seenat 10, and a header 12 bridged thereacross. Door 14 is formed ofstructural framing 16 covered with a suitable front sheet 18 which isvisible from the outside, through the door opening.

As is seen in FIG. 4 the door 14 is slightly narrower than the openingdefined by the upright posts, one of which is shown at 10. The door 14is positioned between these posts and is secured in movable relationshipthereto by means of the hereinafter described door hardware 20.

Of course, both sides of the garage door must be controlled, and thestructure to accomplish this control is bilaterally symmetrical so thatonly one such .portion need be described. Accordingly, it is apparentthat the other side of the garage door 14 has symmetrically identicalhardware thereon to aid in guiding and raising the door. The doorhardware 29 comprises a main, stationary support bracket 22 which issecured to upright post 10 by means of any suitable fastening means suchas lag screws 24. As seen, the main bracket 22 comprises a main plate 26having flanged edges 28 and a base 30, generally at right angles to mainplate 26, to serve as securement and through which the lag screws 24extend.

Secured to the framing 16 at the edge of the door 14 is door bracket 32which is generally in the shape of an angle iron having a base 34 and apivot plate 36 extending generally at right angles to the base 34.Fastening means, such as lag screws 37 extend through the base 34 andinto the framing 16 to secure door bracket 32 with respect thereto.

Geometric linkage is arranged between the main bracket 22 and doorbracket 32 in such a manner as to control the position of the door 12 inthe closed position and in the open position, and also to control theconfiguration of the path the door takes between these two positions.This linkage includes main link 38 which is pivoted to the main frame 22by means of main pivot pin 40 and to the door bracket 32 by means ofdoor pivot pin 42. Door pivot pin 42 extends through the end of mainlink 38 and through pivot plate 36 of door bracket 32 and is arranged tobe pivotable with respect thereto. Boss 44, see FIG. 5, is secured tomain plate 26 adjacent a top corner thereof and has a bore 46therethrough to rotatably accept main pivot pin 40.

Main link 38, at its opposite end from door pivot pin 42 is formed in aU shaped configuration so as to have a torque arm 48 integral therewithwhich extends past the end of boss 44. Thus, main link 38 has main pivotpin 40 passing therethrough in two places to clearly define the axis ofrotation at the center line of main pivot pin 40. Washers 50 aid inspacing to permit free rotation, and washer 52 in conjunction with pin54 maintains the main pivot pin 40 in place with respect to main link38. While 3 7 an ordinary journal has been described with respect tomain pivot 40 within bore 46, it is clear that an antifriction journalcould be substituted therefor to maintain friction at a minimum.

Pivot arm 56 is secured to the lower end of the door bracket 32 by meansof suitable fastening means such as rivets 58 so as to extend away frompivot plate 36 and provide a pivot point for pivot pin 60 in the desiredkinematic position. Control link 62 is pivoted at one end to pivot pin66 and to its other end to pivot pin 64 which is located in a bore inmain plate 26. For adjustability of the door path and position, controllink 62 has a plurality of holes 66 along the length thereof so that thetotal overall length of the link 62 may be selected and secured by meansof bolts 68. Similarly, if desired, a plurality of holes can bepositioned alongthe lower end of main plate 26 for selectivity ofpositioning the top end of control link 62 by having a pivot pin 64selectively positionable therein.

This structure, 'hereinabove described, is sufi'icient to cause the door14 to move in the desired path. However, as can be readily seen, theweight of the door is not balanced or counterbalanced so that a greatdeal of force is necessary to move the door 14 from its closed to itsopen position. Furthermore, the linkage is such that the door 14 willnot remain in its open position, but gravity will cause it to close. Toovercome this deficiency, counterbalance force means is provided to aidin the opening and closing of the door 14 by counterbalancing the weightof the door. This counterbalance mechanism is best seen in FIG. 5. Boss68 is provided at the lower inside corner of main plate 26 and carriespivot pin 70 secured thereto. Compression spring means 72 is pivoted atits lower end on pivot pin 70. Compression spring means '72 compriseslower spring holder '74 which is pivoted on pivot pin '70 and carriescompression spring 76 around spring retaining boss 78. Guard shell 80guides compression springs 76 and serves as a guard therefor, and guardshell 89 is secured to lower spring holder 74. Similarly, cylindricalguide 82 is secured to lower spring holder 74 and serves to guide upperspring holder 84 which has a tubular guide 86 secured thereto. The outersurface of tubular guide 86 serves to guide compression spring 76 andthe inner surface co-acts with cylindrical guide 82 so that lower springholder 74 and upper spring holder 84 are constrained to move onlyaxially with respect to each other. Compression link 88 is threadedlyengaged in upper spring holder 84 and carries a locknut 90 which servesto lock compression link 88 with respect to upper spring holder 84. Withthe locknut 90 loosened, the compression link 88 can be rotated withrespect to upper spring holder 84 to adjust the relative axial positionof compression link 88. The upper end of compression link 88 carriesclevis 92 secured thereto and the clevis 2 has a suitable boretherethrough to accept pin 94 which engages through a suitable hole inthe end of torque arm 48.

The angular relationship between torque arm 43 and main link 38 is suchthat when the door is closed, as is seen in FIGS. 1 and 3,thercompression spring 76 causes a force which urges the door closed, bymeans of the over center positioning of the various pivots. As soon asthe door 14 is moved in the opening direction the torque arm 48 is insuch a position as to use the compressive stress in spring 76 to urgethe door 14 toward the open position. The optimum door opening force isalways available so that the proper counterbalance force is available.This force is regulated by the compressive adjustment of the spring byaxial adjustment of the upper spring holder 84 with respect tocompression link 88, the spring constant, the length of torque arm 48 ascompared to the length of main link 38, and the relative position of thepivot points 70, 94, 40 and 42 as the door is moved. By suitablearrangement of these factors, an optimized, virtually idealcounterbalance force can be applied to the door 14 in all of itspositions. The instant structure is further advantageous because of itsself contained nature which does not require separate spring anchor orother structures away from the door hardware 29. Furthermore, since thecompression spring 76 is completely enclosed by guard shell andrestrained by tubular guide 86, breakage of the spring 76 while inservice does not create a dangerous situation from flying spring parts.

It is clear from the above description of the instant door hardware thatthe hardware is susceptible to numerous modificationsand embodimentswithout the exercise of the inventive faculty. Accordingly, the scope ofthis invention is defined by the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

3.. A door supporting structure adapted to support a door in associationwith framing defining a door opening; the structure comprising a mainbracket adapted to be secured to said door frame and a door bracketadapted to be secured to the door, first and second pivots on said mainbracket and first and second pivots associated with said door bracket, amain link pivoted to said first pivots and a control link pivoted tosaid second pivots, said pivots and said links being such that uponmovement of the door, the door moves from a closed to an open posiion,and a compressionv spring connected between said main bracket and saidmain link to urge said main link in a direction toward the open positionof the door, said main link being formed so as to terminate in a torquearm, pivotal connection means pivotally connecting said compressionspring to said torque arm, said pivotal connection means beingsubstantially positioned between said first pivots when the door is inclosed position, said compression spring being arranged to releaseenergy as the arm moves toward its open position.

2. The door supporting structure of claim 1 wherein a lower springholder is pivotally connected to said main bracket and an upper springholder is adjustably connected to said torque arm, said upper and lowerspring holders being guided with respect to each other so as to guidesaid compression spring.

3;. The door supporting structure of claim 2 where-in a guide is securedto one of said spring holders and a tubular guide is secured to theother of said spring holders, said tubular guide embracing said guide,and said compression spring embracing said tubular guide so that saidcompression spring is controlled.

4. The door supporting structure of claim 3 wherein adjustment means isprovided between said upper spring holder and said torque arm so thatthe spring force of said compression spring may be adjusted.

5. The door supporting structure of claim 4 wherein said lower springholder pivot point, said torque arm pivot and said first pivot on saidmain bracket are aligned in such a position as to cause said compressionspring to urge the door toward the door closed position, when the dooris substantially in the door closed position.

6. A door supporting structure adapted to support a door within a dooropening defined by door framing and to permit the door to be moved froma closed position wherein it closes the opening to an open position,said door supporting structure comprising a main bracket adapted to besecured to the door frame and a door bracket adapted to be secured tothe door, said main bracket comprising a main plate having meansadapting it to be secured to the door frame, first and second pivots onsaid main plate and main and control links respect vely pivoted to saidfirst and second pivots, said main link being formed with a bend andhaving said first pivot ad acent said bend, said rnain link extendingpast said pivot to form a torque arm, compressive spring meanssup-ported on an upper spring holder adjustably and pivotally connectedto said torque arm, and supported on a lower spring holder pivotallyconnected to a third pivot on said main plate, said door bracketcarrying first and econd pivots, said main and said control link beingrespectively pivoted to said first and second pivots on said doorbracket, said links and said pivots being arranged so that saidcompression spring urges the door toward its open position when saiddoor is at least partly toward said open position.

7. The door supporting structure of claim 6 wherein one of said springholders carries a guide, and the other of said spring holders carries atubular guide which embraces said guide, said spring embracing saidtubular guide.

8. A door supporting structure adapted to support a door in associationwith framing defining a door opening; said stnucture comprising a mainbracket adapted to be secured to the door frame and a door bracketadapted to be secured to the door, first and second pivots on said mainbracket and first and second pivots associated with said door bracket, amain link pivoted to said first pivots and a control l-ink pivoted tosaid second pivots, said pivots and said links being such that uponmovement of the door, the door moves from a closed position to an openposition, said main bracket having a first side directed toward the dooropening and having a second side directed away from the door opening,said main l-ink being positioned on said first side of said mainbracket, a torque arm mounted on said second side of said main bracketon said first pivot, said torque arm being connected to rotate with saidmain l-ink about said first pivot, a compression spring connectedbetween said torque arm and said main bracket,'said compression springbeing arranged to release energy as the door is moved toward its openposition.

EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner.

J. H. MCGLYNN, Assistant Examiner.

1. A DOOR SUPPORTING STRUCTURE ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A DOOR IN ASSOCIATIONWITH FRAMING DEFINING A DOOR OPENING; THE STRUCTURE COMPRISING A MAINBRACKET ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO SAID DOOR FRAME AND A DOOR BRACKETADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO THE DOOR, FIRST AND SECOND PIVOTS ON SAID MAINBRACKET AND FIRST AND SECOND PIVOTS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID DOOR BRACKET, AMAIN LINK PIVOTED TO SAID FIRST PIVOTS AND A CONTROL LINK PIVOTED TOSAID SECOND PIVOTS, SAID PIVOTS AND SAID LINKS BEING SUCH THAT UPONMOVEMENT OF THE DOOR, THE DOOR MOVES FROM A CLOSED TO AN OPEN POSITION,AND A COMPRESSION SPRING CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID MAIN BRACKET AND SAIDMAIN LINK TO URGE SAID MAIN LINK IN A DIRECTION TOWARD THE OPEN POSITIONOF THE DOOR, SAID MAIN LINK BEING FORMED SO AS TO TERMINATE IN A TORQUEARM, PIVOTAL CONNECTION MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID COMPRESSIONSPRING TO SAID TORQUE ARM, SAID PIVOTAL CONNECTION MEANS BEINGSUBSTANTIALLY POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID FIRST PIVOTS WHEN THE DOOR IS INCLOSED POSITION, SAID COMPRESSION SPRING BEING ARRANGED TO RELEASEENERGY AS THE ARM MOVES TOWARD ITS OPEN POSITION.